Jane Austin Albright

Jane Austin Albright
Obituary October 12, 2025
Jane Austin Albright of Orlando died at age 99 on October 12, 2025
Born in Birmingham, Alabama on April 7, 1926, she was the daughter and only child of Robert
Emmett Austin and Rado Eloise Holdridge Austin. Her father was a railroad man, and the family
lived in New Orleans, Louisville, Kentucky, and Montgomery and Birmingham, Alabama through
her childhood. She met her husband William Wallace " Bill " Albright while she was attending the
University of Alabama. He was serving in the United States Army Air Corp in pilot training
during World War II. After graduation and their wedding, they returned to his lifelong family
home in Jefferson City, Tennessee. They raised their three children here ; Marilyn, Steve and
Brian, serving as examples of how to be good people.
When her youngest child entered college, Jane completed a Master's degree in library science
at the University of Tennessee.
She was a librarian and taught research and information science at Carson Newman College
from 1975 to 1989.
Jane was deeply curious and a lifelong learner. She read extensively her entire lifetime. While
completing her Master's degree at U.T., she took classes including finances, flower, arranging,
and technology. She became a Certified Judge of Floral and Horticulture. To complete this she
had to win every category in juried flower shows. She was part of a team that produced
television shows for a Knoxville community station. They included shows on TVA, local writers
and local history.
She used her financial acumen to help her church, the United Methodist Church of Jefferson
City. She also developed and taught a class in computer technology and skills for
disadvantaged women. She learned how to refurbish donated computers. Each student who
completed her class was given a computer.
Bill and Jane were able to travel extensively during his career with Albers Drug Company of
Knoxville. She continued to travel after Bill's death in 2006. She spoke several languages and
spent two summers in Costa Rica in language immersion, while family and friends visited. She
spent a month in Paris with her daughter, five years in a row. She lived in Knoxville Tennessee
for five years after Bill's death. During the second year of Covid, she moved to Orlando, Florida
for her remaining years. She loved meeting new people and discovering new places, activities
and ideas. She developed deep friendships throughout her lifetime in each of her homes.
She helped people throughout her life, including her family and friends, her community and
church. She served on community boards such as Appalachian Outreach, Senior Citizens
Home Assistance and Jefferson County Health Council.
She was a wonderful, loving, caring and wise mother to her children.
She is survived by her three children, Marilyn Albright Roofner ( Larry ) of Windermere, Steven
Austin Albright (Peggy) of Knoxville, Brian Austin Albright of Atlanta, and her "other children ",
Charles Albright (Vera), Helen Albright McClaren and Forrest Albright Palmieri ( Brian). Her
grandchildren are Austin Albright, Seth Albright, Kevin Albright and Manju Albright, all of
Knoxville, Tennessee, and Jim Cunningham (Lisa) of Castle Rock, Colorado. Her great
grandchildren are Will, Laurel, Molly, AJ, Maggie, Reeve and Weston Albright and Lilly and
Harris Cunningham.
A remembrance gathering will be held in Orlando, followed by a family gathering later. Those
wishing to make a contribution can donate to Foothills Land Conservancy in Rockford, TN
37853, or to Second Harvest Food Bank or Habitat for Humanity in the community of your
choice
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